A Few Words: How I Write

(A bright bouquet for fall.)

I’ve been thinking a lot about writing lately, and it’s become something I love to do in my spare time.  For years after I finished school, it was something I avoided, probably from fatigue, but I came back to it eventually, like coming home. These days, my writing is mostly in blog form, but that’s a valid type, too, and it’s definitely my creative outlet.  Sometimes, when I’m making the bed in the morning or fixing dinner for my family, I’ll get an idea and think about it constantly until I can get the words out.

Finding time to write is hard, and I often wish I had discovered blogging years ago, when I had more free time. But I’m in this season of motherhood with two little boys who need me, and I need them, too. I also need quiet time, usually in the evenings, to clear my head and get my thoughts down.  It’s how I relax, and while I’ve been pushing myself to write some during the day when I have time, it’s much harder then. My mind is in work mode and I’m running errands, doing things around the house, and preparing for the evening ahead, so it’s hard to sit still and write.

I get a lot of work done on Sunday evenings, thanks to Ryan, who takes the boys to the park or to the grocery store while I write a few posts, in between folding loads of laundry and getting ready for the week.  My boys are getting older, which I thought might bring more free time for myself, but we all seem busier these days, and I guess that’s the ebb and flow of life. Parents walk a fine line between providing for our children and trying to care for ourselves, and I know I’m not alone in feeling that struggle sometimes.

Each weekend, I try to take a few photos and plan out my posts for the week. I’m able to write one or two on Saturday or Sunday evening, depending on our schedule, and then I do the others throughout the week. Thursday posts have always been tough for me, and I think I run out of steam sometimes as the week progresses. I never want to force myself, so I often skip a Thursday post if I don’t feel like writing, though I love sharing my weekend links with you each Friday. I read so much during the week, and I just keep a bunch of open tabs with fascinating stories to show you in my weekly post.

I want my posts to be thoughtful and true, and while I love talking about things like fashion and beauty products, I get the most joy from writing about ideas. I’m tossing around a few new things to share with you soon, and I’m excited to see where they might lead.  I feel like my writing is an experiment, and it’s fun to play around with new techniques.